Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-05-13
BASEBALL.
President Young Addresses Letter to
the Official Scorers Of the Ma
tiOnal League.
Attacking the Reserve Rule-President
spalding Unjustly Censured-
of the Game.
Attaching the Reserve Rule,

The unwarranted attacks of certain
papers upon President Spalding, of the
Chicago Baseball Club, regarding the
sale Of the releases Of players to other
clubs has earned the contempt of lovers
of fair play, says the Inter Ocean.
The reserve rule was the salvation
of the professional baseball clubs that
adopted it. The National agreement pro-
tects the smallest club in its list, and no
matter how good a player they may de-
velop, they are protected against the deser-
ton of the PLAYER by the offer of big
salary. But for this rule the spirit Of
sional ball clubs of the country would re-
suit in the total disintegration of every pro-
fessional team at the end of each season,
and the competitive bidding by clubs for
ball-players' services would finally result
in extravagant salary lists that would bank
rupt every club that attempted to stand up
under it, and effectually kill the sport pro-
fessionally. The Chicagos were the last
to sell release; all the other clubs had
sold releases. President Spaldine said:
The case Of Mccormick is peculiar.
He, with Glas scock, Briody, and another,
deserted from the league, and. tempted by
offers Of increased salaries, they all went
into Lucas club in the Union Association
The Cleveland Club promptly expelled
them for their action. The Union Associ.
alton went to pieces, and these deserters
found themselves blacklisted and thrown
licitatioa Of Mccormick (who came to me
with tears in his eyes, begging me for
Code sake to put him in way to earn a
living), and at the request of Mr.. Lucas, I
interested myself to secure the reinstatement
of the deserters. They were reinstated.
Mccormick went to the Providence team.
and his habits were SO against him that
the Providence management wanted to re-
lease him to me for 5000. 1 bought his
reio.se, but not until had talk with Linn,
in which he said he wanted TO come 10
Chicago. and promised me that We should
have nothing to complain of on the score
of his hulits. Last year his habits were
SO notorious that We could not endure
them, and hence the discipline against
which he rebelled. We did it in his inter-
est Us we'll as our own. I submit whether
have not been McCormick's friend, an d
whether he has not good ground for being
grateful TO the management of the Chicago
Club"
Scoring.
President Young, of the Baseball
League, has addressed the following letter
to the official scorers:
TO the official scorers Of the National League:
In reviewing the new code with view to as
pertaining if there are any points to which the
attention OF the official scorers should be
drawn, have come upon the provision credit
ing stolen base to a runner where the same is
other than a battery error-an overthrow or
tumble, for example. The philosophy OF this
credit is perfectly logical. The runner earns
base by making daring attempt to secure it,
and, if successful, even though assisted by an
error, deserves the point. Tho credits will, of
course. be included in your official returns Of
stolen bases We now come, however, to the
point which desire to emphasize. This query
has been propounded to me-: Suppose player
reaches first on a hit, steals second on q tumble
of the baseman. and is batted home. is the run
but the point should be carefully borne in mind
in filling out the earned-run blank in your score
sheets. Earned runs, it should be remembered,
are not credited to individuals, nor do
they have any particular bearing upon the
status OF club in making up the average
which constitute the monthly and annual rec
ords. They are important factors, however in
gauging the effectiveness of q pitcher, and 1t ia
in this light alone that they should be regarded.
1t is then mnnifestly unfair TO- charge pitcher
secured by fieldin" errors ara essential factors
i'll it. Obviously the pitcher cam In no way be
responsible for o muff by the baselncn or an
runs, therefore, you will scan your scores care
fully and omit tallies in which the stolen base
assisted by IN error is a necessary element.
Around the Bases.
Murphy, of the Boston team, is the
youngest catcher in the league, being but
10 years old.
The new rules have the effect of keeping
the catcher under the bat the greater part
of the game.
The St. Louis team got $3.50 for it's
share Of the recent games, and the Chica-
gos took 81, 900 for their share.
The colored League seems to have come
to sudden halt. The interstate commerce
bill made railway travel too expensive for
them.
The American Association Captains are;
St. Louis, Comiskey; Brooklyn, Swart-
wood; Louisville, Hecker; Cincinnati, Fem
nelly; Athletic, Stovey; Metropolitan, Orr;
Baltimore, Greenwood; Cleveland, Snyder.
The Captains of the League teams TO.
1887 are: Chicago, Arson. Detroit. Han
lon; New York, Ward; Philadelphia, r.
win; Boston, Kelly; Washington, Farrell;
Pittsburg, Brown; Indianapolis, Glass
cock. 1t might be we'll to cut this out for
reference.